Shot In the Dark

When You're Not Okay

After the phone call with Toto Mari ventured outside after spotting Lewis through the glass doors of the living room, situated on the cushion less summer furniture with a wistful expression he gazed outwards towards the peaks as the freshly fallen snow glistened like fairy dust. As the pear on his fork lost the battle flopping back down into the bottle causing Lewis to furrow his eyebrows at the metallic taste in his mouth, a chuckle tumbled from Mari's lips betraying her arrival as he glanced up like a dog without a bone. 'Don't worry Lewis the pear isn't angry at you they were just missing their friends'

No response silence great Mari thought and we're back to square one don't give up 'Do you maybe want to go on a walk?' ... nothing ... 'We don't have to go together I just find that it sometimes helps you think, process everything in a pressure free environment, perspective and all that' an ironic chuckle left his lips as he shook his head almost as if he was in disbelief at her perfectly reasonable suggestion like hello it's not like Mari said fancy going bull riding he'd probably enjoy that

After ten minutes of silence Lewis spoke up 'So who did you tell?' okay Mari was officially baffled what in the world was in the air this morning. 'Did they pay you money for the information on me, wait obviously they did that's why you were being so nice I should have known.' seriously what is going on in that mans head definitely deeper issues.

'Umm not quite sure what it is I'm being accused of here, clarification on who they are would be good though' she said.

'The press obviously that look on your face in the kitchen when they phoned I've seen it before I'm not naïve as much as you would like me to be, let's be real for a second Mariana I don't even know your last name but yes let me trust you recklessly, go on a damn walk so some photographer can take a fucking photograph of the oh so woe stricken F1 driver. Well hate to break it to you but I'm not going anywhere or saying anything else to you' with that Lewis stood up and walked back into the house as Mari heard the distant sound of him retreating up the stairs.

Well that went just swimmingly didn't it who knew that Toto was such a big fan of photography, what she had just witnessed was not trust issues it was a lack of any trust at all, something that ran much deeper don't get her wrong Mari had broken down peoples walls before but not doors to a damn nuclear bunker.

***

The emerald grass of the Austrian mountains was thick and lush, with the moisture of the ground the dew from this morning was seeping through the cotton of Mari's trousers in a calming sensation that made her stare dreamily up at the stark grey precipices of the alps that reached up to flirt with the sky blue of the sky. A breath rippled through her one of release that came with the clarity of isolation but lay heavy with unspoken thoughts, those she had never found the time to express to anyone.

Ducking through a barrier of trees Mari was met with her little herd of highland cows that numbered at ten they were not milkers or meat cows more like a group of golden retrievers apart from Millie who refused any sort of interaction unless food was provided, I mean can you blame her that was why on the way Mari had ran home and grabbed a lettuce that when revealed had Millie moving at a considerable pace. A smile came to rest on her lips it was in moments like these that one truly learns to recognize the gift that is life, she wished Lewis would have come after being isolated from society for so long she was drawn to him in an almost desperate way where her thoughts got so crammed she did not know what to say.

As the cows feasted on the leaves Mari began to speak to them (after all animals are great listeners) 'There's this new guy staying at Toto's house he's called Lew and he's has all these really cool clothes I walked past his room yesterday and the clothes reminded me so much of New York you know the place I went too with the massive towers you guys would hate it. Anyways he's not my biggest fan at the moment but I'm working on it, I bet you could help me get through to him Millie, I just have to get him out of that damn mansion first maybe if i lock the gym he'll be forced to go out and exercise although that sounds a bit harsh. I can't exactly bring you guys into the back garden either otherwise the Wolff's will hunt me down and not in a caring way.'

No reason to stay was a reason to go but Mari had a reason to stay this was her home, their home they had loved it and taught her how too, and she knew they would have made Lewis love it too and for that reason she would never stop trying.